Archive for the 'gift guide' Category

To me the holidays are the perfect time to indulge in some little glitz and glamor, and judging by the comments left in my Body Shop Giveaway, you all agree. Check out my Etsy picks to see some sparkling one-of-a-kind handmade gift giving options I’m dying to buy for myself.

Laurie Sarah Designs’ Pink Tourmaline Ring ($828.75)What are the holidays without a little drama? This pink tourmaline ring is one of those statement pieces that will have your girlfriends drooling. I must have it!

Bejewelled Bespoke’s The Classic Bib Necklace ($55.00)This classic, versatile bib necklace is ideal for dressing up anything from a plain white T to a little black dress, and the price is pretty great too. I’ve still got my heart set on the Allure in Black one I featured up above, but this is another great options.

My first installation of the ABS 2010 Holiday Gift Guide was created with my mother in mind – she, like me, is a true skincare lover, and I’d love to be able to purchase one of each and every skincare gift set on this list. What better way to show your love than to provide a certain special someone with all their skincare essentials beautifully pre-packaged for gift-giving?

La Mer’s The Connoisseur Collection ($395) brings together three of my favorite La Mer daily essentials in one serene seafoam-hued box. The products work in tandem to deliver a softer, healthier, more luminous appearance each day. My mother and I both happen to be HUGE La Mer fans (the Creme is her holy grail moisturizer) so this set is definitely a must-have for both of us.

Amore Pacific’s Limited-Edition Time Response Set (a $600 value for $400) is chock full of anti-aging therapies geared towards continuously correcting, protecting, and reprogramming skin. Pure EGCG, a potent and rare botanical compound derived from green tea, protects skin from damage and premature aging. I’ve continually been impressed by the quality and efficacy of Amore Pacific’s products, and now is as good a time as any to introduce someone new to an amazing brand that doesn’t get nearly enough press! And if your budget won’t stretch quite that far, check out the Bio-Enzyme Refining Complex Holiday Set, a holiday duo I’m seriously lemming.

Guinot’s Age Logic Vanity Bag (a $220 value for $190) contains all the essentials to achieve beautiful, younger-looking skin, all neatly tucked into an elegant shimmering black vanity bag. The high-powered cocktail of Actinergie, 56 cellular actives and and anti-oxidants in the Age Logic formula work to combat the cellular aging process by supplying the energy cells need for optimal functioning. Guinot’s Red Logic cream has attained holy grail status for me, and this face and eye cream are pretty fantastic as well.

Cle de Peau Beaute’s Premier La Creme Collection (a $563 for $500) pairs the creme de la creme of Cle de Peau’s collection (well notwithstanding their new releases) to make for the ultimate in luxury. I happen to love the Creme and the cleansing foam really is second to none.

Chantecaille’s The 3 Indispensables ($210) contains its three best-selling products in a festive red pouch that’s ideal for holiday gift-giving. While I have yet to try a single Chantecaille product, the Vital Essence has been high on my wishlist for ages as I’ve heard nothing but good things. I really don’t need another facial essence but I’ve been wanting to test it out as an undereye serum of sorts.

Armani Beauty’s Crema Nera Set (a $420 value for $350), gorgeously packaged in a sleek black logo box, makes a great introduction to the newer skincare releases from what many consider to be the master of foundations.

And last but certainly not least, Chanel’s Sublimage Luxury Voyage Collection ($400), an elegant travel set exclusively created for a woman to experience an incomparable age-defying ritual any time, anywhere in the world. While pricey, the Sublimage line really is quite amazing on the skin and this set makes an amazing gift.

1) $1,000 for a little jar of face cream is insanity, but La Prairie’s Cellular Cream Platinum Rare($1,000) sure is pretty to look at. If your loved one is a La Prairie fanatic, I’m sure they’d love to have this gorgeous jar sitting on their vanity.

5) Kanebo Sensai’s Premier is ounce for ounce the most expensive skincare in the world. Check out the cream, lotion, and eye cream, in Sensai’s Premier Luxury Box ($650) all gorgeously wrapped in a Furoshiki (Japanese silk wrapping cloth) for the ultimate in indulgence.

2) This Clarisonic/Kinerase Set ($195) is a great deal that your complexion will thank you for. While definitely an indulgence, the Clarisonic skincare brush may become the best skincare investment you ever make.

3) Of all the items mentioned in my gift guide, this Baby Quasar($449) is the one item that I’ve been seriously dying to get my hands on. I’ve been lemming this item for the past 5 years or so, and it’s still on my mind! One of these days I’ll take the plunge and indulge in this baby.

4) Nuface ($379) claims to lift and firm your neck and face, lessen the look of lines and wrinkles, and and pump up the production of collagen and elastin. The reviews I’ve seen of this sound promising, but this is one of those “try it to believe it” products.

5) O2hi’s Personal Oxygen Machine ($1.295) purifies the atmosphere with a negative ion generator, and emits 50% more oxygen than you’d find in clean mountain air. Okay so to be honest I don’t really get the purpose of this, but it looks interesting so I thought I’d toss it in!.

4) CARGO’s PlantLove Botanical Lipsticks($20) let you look good on the outside while feeling great on the inside. The packaging is 100% plant derived, the lipstick is organic, and $2 from the sale of each tube goes to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Please pick these up as extra stocking stuffers and support a really great cause!

1) I’m a bit of a Louis Vuitton freak, so if I woke up Christmas morning to find this Louis Vuitton Monogram Canvas(I’d be happy with the Damier too!) Trousse Toilette 25 ($475) under the tree, I’d be one happy girl! With its washable textile lining and durable monogram canvas, this is one gift that’ll be around for years to come.

3) I cringe at the thought of marring the white perfection of Bottega Veneta’s Leather Cosmetic Case($650) with a makeup stain, but if you’re the kind of person who can keep this clean, more power to you!